A posterior portal is often needed during arthroscopic knee surgery for loose body removal, PCL reconstruction and meniscal repairs, among others. The standard technique involves placing a needle from outside into the joint while visualizing the entry point with the arthroscope. This step is essentially a “blind” passage of a sharp needle into the back of the knee which can pose danger to structures and often requires many attempts to get the correct position. Also, once the position is found with the needle, the surgeon must remove the needle and try to emulate that same position/direction with a scalpel blade. This is, again, another “blind” attempt to enter the joint with a sharp instrument. Subsequently, the surgeon often places a cannula from outside in, through the incision which can be difficult to do because of the thick, fibrous tissue planes of the skin, capsule, etc.
There is a need for specialized instruments that are specifically designed to allow entry through the anterior joint and out the back of the knee in the ideal position for a posterior portal. Also needed are surgical arthroscopic techniques where instruments are placed through an anterior portal, through the joint and out the posterior-medial or posterior-lateral side, so that the tip of the instrument can be seen and palpated through the skin, to further indicate the proper position for the portal.